Rs10 bn earmarked to fight corona this year, says Yasmin

LAHORE: Punjab Health Minister Dr Yasmin Rashid praised Standard Chartered Bank (SCB) and Sightsavers for providing financial support for treatment of patients at Mayo Hospital here.

Addressing the ceremony organised by College of Opthomology and Allied Vision Sciences at Mayo Hospital, the provincial health minister said, “We are grateful to Standard Chartered Bank and Sightsavers for their support. Allah Almighty likes those who serve humanity. Pakistan is facing a fourth wave of corona pandemic. All doctors, nurses and paramedical staff rendering services during the corona pandemic deserve greatest appreciation. Mayo Hospital is at the forefront in providing treatment to COVID-19 patients. Corona pandemic has hit the entire world, however, Pakistan has suffered comparatively less. The entire world has appreciated the strategies adopted by Pakistan. We are endeavoring to provide good quality services to COVID-19 patients and we are grateful to all stakeholders for making valuable contribution.”

She said, “Prof Asad Aslam served in all four waves of the pandemic and never gave up. Sacrifices of our doctors during all the four waves shall be remembered forever. Pakistan has been battling the pandemic for the last two years successfully.

The government has spent Rs 14 billion on the corona pandemic in 2020. This year, an amount of Rs10 billion has been earmarked to fight the pandemic.”

Dr Yasmin Rashid said the government was providing expensive medicines free of cost to people.

“In the early part of the pandemic, we provided free medicines to private hospitals as well for treatment of COVID-19 patients. So far we have vaccinated 45 million people in Punjab. Our health workers have been vaccinated in the province. I pray to Almighty Allah to help us overcome the pandemic. The pace of our vaccination is being appreciated in and outside the country,” the minister said.

In the end, the representatives of Standard Chartered Bank and Sightsavers handed her over a cheque for Rs32 million.

The event was also attended by Consultant Prof Asad Aslam Khan, Prof Mehmud Shaukat, Mayo Hospital CEO Prof Dr Saqib Saeed, Mayo Hospital MS Dr Iftikhar Ahmed, Prof Dr Suhail Sarwar, Farah Asim from Standard Chartered Bank, Muniza Gilani from Sightsavers, doctors and faculty members.

Meanwhile, in a meeting at the Specialised Healthcare and Medical Education Department here, Punjab Health Minister Dr Yasmin Rashid reviewed progress on University of Child Health Sciences and measures to facilitate thalassemia patients.

Additional Secretary Development Dr Asif Tufail, Additional Secretary Technical Dr Salman Shahid, Professor Dr Masood Sadiq, Punjab Thalassemia Control director general and other officials were present in the meeting. Additional secretaries Dr Asif Tufail and Dr Salman Shahid gave briefing to the health minister.

The health minister said, “University of Child Health Sciences is the first institution of its kind and is a landmark project of the government. Referral system is about to begin there. Children Hospital Lahore continued to treat patients during all four waves of the corona pandemic. “We are trying to provide the best possible facilities to thalassemia patients as they are very important members of society. According to the vision of Prime Minister Imran Khan and Chief Minister Usman Buzdar, the government is taking steps for prevention and treatment of thalassemia,” the health minister said.